Tumble barge

ABSTRACT

The tumble barge takes load and is towed, unmanned, to dump site. Ballast tanks on bow and stern also serve as compressed air reservoirs to supply operational air, upon actuation of barge apparatus, as by remote control, to open flood valves on one side (port) and to open scupper valves on such side. Vessel normal metacenter and floodable space relationship is such that list increases with flooding until vessel capsizes almost 180* completely to dump hold contents. The ballast arrangement is designed to build up a righting moment in clock direction counter to clock direction of capsizing, thus to right the barge. Apparatus may be actuated by remote control to admit compressed air to open and close flood valves and scupper valves.

United States Patent Inventors Albert B. Cady, Jr.

Houston, Tex.; Thomas R. Hencey, Jr., 2707 57th St., Galveston, Tex. 77550 Appl. No. 864,249 Filed Aug. 20, 1969 Division of Ser. No. 709,408, Feb. 29, 1968, Pat. No. 3,473,501 Patented Aug. 31, 1971 Assignee said Hencey, Jr. by said Cady, Jr.

TUMBLE BARGE 3 Claims, 17 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 114/198, 1 14/38 Int. Cl B63b 13/02, B63b 35/30 Field of Search 114/38, 27,

Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix AllorneyWilliam E. Ford ABSTRACT: The tumble barge takes load and is towed, unmanned, to dump site. Ballast tanks on bow and stem also serve as compressed air reservoirs to supply operational air, upon actuation of barge apparatus, as by remote control, to open flood valves on one side (port) and to open scupper valves on such side. Vessel normal metacenter and floodable space relationship is such that list increases with flooding until vessel capsizes almost 180 completely to dump hold contents. The ballast arrangement is designed to build up a righting moment in clock direction counter to clock direction of capsizing, thus to right the barge. Apparatus may be actuated by remote control to admit compressed air to open and close flood valves and scupper valves.

PATENIED Ausal I9?! 3.602.182

sum 1 BF 4 ALBERT B. CADY THOMAS A. HENCXJR 1N VBNTORS F 4.47-3 H B I ATTOENGY PATENTEUAUGMIQYI SHEET 3 BF 4 ALBERT B. CADY THOMAS R. HE/v ZJ/a.

INVENTURS ATTORNE Y TUMBLE BARGE This is a division of application Ser. No. 709,408, filed Feb. 29, l 968and now Pat. No. 3,473,501.

The invention relates to a tumble barge generally similar to the vessel disclosed in Munson U.S. Pat. No. 2,476,108, issued July 12, 1949; the barge being of the type capsizable to dump hold contents when flooded on one side, and then swingable back in opposite clock direction to right itself as the hold is emptied.

As a primary object the invention relates to a tumble barge, with flood valves and scupper valves openable at dump location, the barge being unmanned as the barge capsizes and dumps the hold contents, and then swings back in opposite clockdirection to right itself.

It is also an important object of the invention to provide ballast tanks on the barge which also serve as compressed air reservoirs to supply operational air to apparatus operating scupper valves and/or flood valves.

It is another object of the invention to provide a barge of this class with its flood and scuppervalve opening and closing apparatus being actuated, as from ashore, by remote control means, as radio.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a barge of this class which includes adjustable means to adjust the capsizing moment, by regulating the elevation at which a fluid or slush cargo may stand above the hold before the barge begins to turn over.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a barge of this class which has on both bow and stern a combined compressed air and ballast tank shaped to deflect and pass off waves directed otherwise to roll over such tanks and into the hold.

It is also a further-object of the invention to provide a barge of this class having its bow and stern ballast tanks transversely adjustably mounted, thus to contribute to adjusting degree of v capsizing and righting moment.

It is also an additional object of the invention to provide a sidewall on the list side of the barge which may be enclosed to provide selectively filled compressed air or ballast compartments, and whichhas a panel which may be adjustably pivoted on a longitudinal axis at the top of the hold space, thus to regulate the elevation at which a fluid or slush cargo may stand above the hold before the barge begins to capsize, as

- aforesaid Other and further objects will be apparent when the specification herein is considered in connection with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a barge comprising an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a port side elevational view, part in section, of the embodiment of barge shown in plan view in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional elevation taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is fragmentary. longitudinally extending, elevational view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary isometric view of the sidewall structure based at port side deck level at the top of the hold, as

shownin transverse cross section in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional elevational view, partially diagrammatic, and looking forward, showing atumble barge LII FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional elevational view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9, and thus looking inboard;

FIG. 1 1 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional elevational view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 9, and thus looking outboard;

FIG. 12 is a transverse sectional elevational view, looking aft through a scupper valve, four lower and two upper being shown in FIG. 2 to smaller scale in side elevation, the four lower scupper valves being longitudinally spaced apart at hold bottom level;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan view of the stern of a barge of the type shown in FIG. 1, and showing a modification of compressed air reservoir type ballast tank that is shaped to deflect waves from rolling over the hold;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary port side elevational view of the compressed air reservoir type ballast tank shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is an isometric view looking outboard to port and forwardly from a position above the after part of the hold, and showing a longitudinally extending dump panel or plate, hinged at portside deck level along the top of the hold, and inboard of the sidewall, and adjustable for controlling the elevation at which a fluid or slush cargo stands above the hold prior to cargo spillage and barge capsizing;

FIG. 16.is a large scale, fragmentary transverse sectional elevational view of the fluid or slush cargo level adjustment plate shown in FIG. 15, looking forward, and showing hinge and seal detail, and also showing structural relationships at portside deck elevation inboard of the ballast providing compartmental sidewall; and

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary, transverse, sectional elevational view, looking forward at the structures shown isometrically and in sectional detail in FIGS. 15 and 16.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference numerals are assigned to like elements in the various views, a tumble barge 10, as shown in plan view in FIG. 1, has a hull 11 with port and starboard sidewalls or strakes 12a, 12b; bow or forward curved rake or 'plate 13; and stern or rear curved rake or plate 13b. The lower ends of the rake plates 13a and 13b are joined by a keel plate or flat bottom plate 14, FIG. 2, which is characteristic in barge construction. The barge includes a deck 15, at the level of the tops of the rakes 13a, 13b and side strakes 12a, 12b, which includes port and starboard side decks 15a, 15b, a forward deck 15c and afterdeck 15d, with an opening or well 16 being formed inboard of the respective decks 15a, 150, 155 15a, which and 15d, the top of the opening into the well or hold 16.

A forward, vertical wall 17c extends downwardly from the after end of the forward deck 15c to define the forward extent of the well or hold 16, and a rear, vertical wall 17d extends downwardly from the forward end of the afterdeck 15d to define the rearward extent of the wall or hold 16. Also a port sidewall or bulkhead 17c extends downwardly and inwardly from the portside deck 15a and a starboard sidewall or bulkhead 17b extends downwardly and inwardly from the starboard side deck 15b. The bulkheads or walls 150, 15c, 15b, 15d terminate downwardly at the same level to be joined at the bottom by a substantially horizontally extending flat plate 18 spaced above the bottom or keel plate 14, such plate 18 providing the hold load deck.

As shown in FIG. 3, the port bulkhead or sidewall 17:; of the hold or well 16 includes an upper part 17' shown in coplanar alignment with bulkhead 17a, and which extends to an elevation a substantial distance above the portside deck 15a. This upper part or dump panel 17' raises the level at which fluid or slush cargo, or even solid cargo in part, stands before beginning to dump, and thus the dump panel 17' increases the capsizing moment that causes the barge to list to a certain position and then to capsize to port.

The hold or load deck plate 18 extends to port as the plate 18a to join the sidewall or side strake 12a, FIG. 2, and such the sidewall or side strake 12b, as best shown in FIG. 3. Also,

v the load deck plate 18 extends forwardly as plate 18c to join the inner surface of the forward or bow rake 13a, and such plate 18 extends rearwardly as plate 18d to join the inner surface of the after or stern rake 13a.

The space between the barge bottom or keel plate 14 and the hold or load deck 18 and the plates 18a, 18c, 18b, and 18d extending therefrom to hull parts, comprises a dead space or closed airspace 20, while the load deck 18 and the aforesaid plates 180, 18c, 18b, and 18d together may be said to comprise an inner deck 21. Depressions or downward offsets 22a, 22b are formed in the respective inner deck forward and after extension plates l8c, 18d, and immediately inboard of the wall or strake 12a. Forward and after flood valves 23a, 23b are disposed in these respective recesses, offsets, or depressions 22a, 22b, as will be hereinbelow described.

A forward and after opening or port 23a, 23b is provided through the port sidewall or strake 12a into the respective offsets or depressions 22a, 22b, each port 23a, 23b being defined by an annular ring or rim 24 of greater thickness than the sidewall 12a, which is installed with outer face flush with outer surface thereof, thus to provide an annular boss which extends inboard of the inner surface of the sidewall 12a. An annular seal or resilient ring 25 is affixed to the inboard face of the rim 24, to form the seat for the seating element of a flood valve, to be hereinbelow described.

The body of the aforesaid flood valve 26 comprises a cylindrical shell or valve wall 27 which has its outboard end seated against the inner surface of the sidewall 13a and around the inwardly projecting boss of the rim 24, and around the periphery of the seal ring 25 inboard of the boss. As shown in FIG. 9, the shell 27 has a flange 27a connected around the inner end thereof so that it may be centered with axis substantially horizontal when the flange 27a has been connected, as by machine bolts or screws, (indicated diagrammatically), to the inboard wall plate of the well 28 which provides the recess 22a. The after recess 22b, best indicated in FIG. 2, is formed correspondingly to the recess 22b, and its well 28 mounts a flood valve 26 constructed in correspondence with the flood valve 26 which is being instantly described.

The valve seating element or control member comprises a round valve plate 29 of outer diameter greater than the port openings 23a, 2312, which seats when closed with its peripheral or outboard rim face against the resilient ring or seal 25.

This is effected by the fact that guide rods 30, equally angularly spaced apart with forward ends connected to the inner rim face of the valve plate 29, extend substantially horizontally inwardly from the valve plate, as supported by a guiding support 31 disposed substantially vertically across, and within the valve shell or cylindrical body 27 about two-thirds of the distance from the port sidewall 13a, and the inboard wall of the recess well 28. The guide rods pass through guide holes 32 aligned therefor through the guiding support 31, and have stop nuts 33 on the inner ends thereof. As may be seen in FIG. 9, the stop nut faces are spaced a slightly shorter distance from the inner face of the guiding support 31, then the outer face of the valve plate 29 is shown spaced from the inner face of the boss or inner portion of the port rim or ring 24. Thus, when the valve plate 29 is urged seated to the fullest extent, it may substantially deform the resilient seal ring 25 but cannot rupture it, as the outer faces of the stop nuts 33 first contact the inner surface of the guiding support 31 around the guide holes 32. The peripheral rim of the guiding support 31 is cut chordally to provide better liquid circulation through the support, as best indicated by the reference numeral 31 in FIG. 10.

The valve plate 29 is opened mechanically by virtue of its guide rods 30 having respective fingers 34 connected thereto as such extend radially from a spider 35 mounted upon the shank of the flanged head 36 which extends outwardly from the outer end of a wormshaft 37, which is thus rotatable with relation to the spider 35 which is movable inboard or outboard responsive to the movement of the wormshaft 37 in direction of its axis respectively in board or outboard.

The wormshaft 37 passes threadably through a threaded bushing 38 which extends through the central portion of the guiding support 31 and which is rigidly affixed to the support plate 31 by virtue of a locknut 39 being threaded upon the extemally threaded inner end of the bushing 38 to bear tightly against the inner face of the support plate 31, the support plate 31 being, in turn, rigidly connected to the inner surface of the valve shell or cylindrical member 27.

A vertically disposed drive shaft 46 extends downwardly through a ball bearing assembly unit 41a on top of the valve shell or wall 27, and through an upper hole through the shell wall, and mounts a worm 42 thereon; the lower end of the drive shaft 40 passing through a lower hole through the shell wall, and terminating in a lower ball bearing assembly unit 41b on the under, outer surface of the shell 27; the race, within which the lower end of the drive shaft 40 extends, being entirely enclosed within its ball bearing assembly unit 41b.

The vertical drive shaft 40 is mounted a predetermined distance longitudinally of the wormshaft 37 to permit the worm 42 to mesh with a worm gear 43 formed upon the outer end of, or connected to, a worm nut 44 through which the wormshaft 37 threadably extends. The worm gear 43 is restrained against movement axially along the wormshaft 37 by virtue of the worm nut 44 having an annular groove 45 formed therein so that the arched upper and lower central portions 46a, 46b of cross rods 47 may be received in the groove 45. The adjacently opposed ends of the cross rods 47 are connected respectively to the upper and lower surfaces of collars affixed to the ends of respective studs 49 which extend outwardly through diametrically opposed holes the wall of the valve shell 27 substantially centrally of the elevation thereof. Outwardly of the shell 27 the outer ends of the stud 49 pass through respective location dollars 50 which are connected to the location collars 50 by respective pins 51.

The drive shaft 40 may thus be rotated to move the wormshaft 37 in inboard and outboard directions threadably through the bushing 38, fixed with relation to the valve shell 27 by virtue of the guiding support 31 being affixed within the shell 27, and by virtue of the studs 49 being affixed to the location collars 50 by the pins 51. Thus the worm nut 39 is restrained against inboard or outboard movement along the wormshaft 37, while the wormshaft is freely rotatably with relation to the fixedly positioned wormshaft 27.

The vertical drive shaft 40 extends upwardly through the afterdeck 15d, and a handwheel 52 may be connected thereto at the top of such shaft, as by a conventional key, not shown. Such a handwheel 52 is indicated in FIG. 1 above the afterdeck 15d on the port side thereof and abaft the seam. In FIG. 1 l the handwheel 52 is shown as having a handgrasp 52a upstanding therefrom. If crew personnel stay aboard the barge 10 until it is at dump location to operate the flooding of the barge before departure, the handwheel 52 may be operated manually by an until it is at dump location to operate the flooding grasping the handgrasp 52a to rotate the handwheel 52 in direction to move the wormshaft 37 inboard sufficiently well to clear the resilient seal ring 25. In this case flood water passes in the port 23a (23b) and through perforations 53 into the recess 22a to rise thereabove to flood the flood compartment 54 which includes the portside space inboard of the sidewall 13a and outboard of a forward centerline bulkhead 55a, outboard of the upwardly and outwardly sloped bulkhead 17a defining the portside of the cargo well or hold 16, outboard of an after centerline bulkhead 55a, and above the inner deck 180, 18a, 18d, including the forward and after recesses 22a, 22b.

After substantially fully opening the flood valves 26, (and scupper valves 19), to be hereinbelow described, any crew members on the barge 10 are promptly taken off the vessel. An alternative arrangement for operating the flood valves 26 is shown to the upper and right side of FIG. 11. In such case the handwheel 52 is shown as including gear teeth 56 in the periphery thereof to mesh with teeth of a pinion 57 mounted on the output shaft of a combination valve operator and speed reducer 58. Such mechanism 58 is connected to be driven by a pneumatic motor 59 which receives air thereinto from a delivery tube 60a, which, by means of a four-way valve 61, is placed in fluid communication with a compressed air pipe 62 from a source of compressed air, to be hereinbelow described.

From the tube 60a the compressed air enters the pneumatic motor 59 in direction to drive the motor 59, and the hereinabove described transmission therefromto the wormshaft 37, to rotate the wormshaft 37 in direction that it moves inboard, thereby opening the flood valve 26 by drawing the valve plate29 inboard, and away from the seal ring 25. With drive in this direction, the four-way valve 61 has its stem in the position indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 11, with the handle 63 that turns the stem in upper or outer position, as the handle 63 has been moved to this position by the actuation of the armature 64 of a double acting solenoid 65, also as indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 11.

A valve opening circuit 66 is-indicated by two conductor leads that extend from the upper end of the double-acting solenoid 65. A signal 67, designated by two energy waves, is indicated as having actuated the circuit 66, the armature or armature shaft 64 having thus been moved to the upper position shown in FIG. 11. Also the valve stem handle 63, of the valve 61, is shown as having been turned to the aforesaid upper position, as a pin on the armature 64 extends slidably through a slot in the valve stem handle 63. In this position the valve 60b is shown in position to receive exhaust air from the air motor 59 to exhaust it to the atmosphere.

A valve closing circuit 68 is shown as comprising two conductors which extend from the solenoid 65, such conductors 68 completing a coil within the solenoid 65 around the lower end of the armature or armature shaft 64. When a signal 69, indicated by two dotted line energy waves, and thus as being inactive in FIG. 1], is dispatched, the circuit 68 is actuated to move the armature or armature shaft 64 in downward direction, thus to shift the stem of the valve 61, as rotated by the handle 63, to place the compressed air duct 62 in communication with the tube 60b to deliver drive air to the pneumatic motor 59 to drive it in valve closing direction. Also, the valve 61 is thus shifted to position to vent exhaust air from the tube 60a to the atmosphere.

In addition to the flood valves 26, the barge is provided with six scupper valves 19, as aforesaid, four being located longitudinally spaced apart distances with lowermost points to communicate with the inner or load deck 18, as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Also, two of them are shown as being spaced with lower innermost parts to communicate with the hold or well 16 at upper opposite end positions through the port bulkhead l7a, to extend outwardly therefrom through the barge portside or strake 12a. A typical cross-sectional view is shown in FIG. 12 through a lower scupper valve 19, and to a larger scale than shown in FIG. 3, the view being taken looking aft through the flood compartment 22 outwardly of the bulkhead 17a.

In such a scupper valve 19 an opening or port 70 is formed through the sideplate or hull strake 12a, and a frustoconical sleeve 71, with larger diameter outwardly, is installed around the aforesaid port 70. Inwardly, the smaller diameter of the sleeve 71 communicates with, and surrounds, a drain port 72 through the wall of the bulkhead 17a. The sleeve 71 is connected to a special flange 73 which in turn is connected upwardly to the bulkhead 17a and therebelow to a connection member 73a beneath the load deck 18.

Within the sleeve 71 a cylindrical scupper valve housing or shell 74 is provided which has its inboard portion perforated by perforations or holes 530; the inner end of the housing or shell 74 being connected to, or anchored within, the inner end of the sleeve 71. A flange or ring 75 is inserted within the inner end of the housing or shell 74 with faces to extend substantially vertically therewithin, and to have an appropriate resilient seal ring 76 installed on the outer face thereof to form the scupper valve seat.

A guiding support plate 77 is anchored substantially centrally within the scupper valve shell 74. Such guiding support plate 77 provides a bushing 78 disposed centrally therethrough, the bushing 78 being internally threaded to receive therethrough a wormshaft 79 having a flange head 80 on the inner end thereof to restrain and retain a spider 81. The spider 81 includes radially extending bracket bars or fingers 82 to support a valve plate or seating element 83 which is of outer diameter to provide an annular rim or seating surface to seat upon the resilient valve seat member 76 when the scupper valve 19 may be closed, as shown in FIG. 12. Guide rods 84 extend outwardly from the outer. surface of the valve plate 83 and pass through aligned ports or holes 85 in the guiding sup port plate 77, with stop nuts 86 being installed on the outer ends of the guide rods 84 thus to limit the extent to which the resilient seat ring 76 may be compressed when the scupper valve 19 is closed.

The wormshaft 79 extends outwardly beyond the guiding support plate 77 and the bushing 78, to be connected as by a speed reducer 87 to an air motor 88. The air motor 88 is shown in FIG. 12 as having a base 89 to receive a support rod 90 slidably therethrough. The support rod 90 extends parallel to the wormshaft 79, from the outer surface of the guiding support plate 77 to a stop 91 shown just within the outer end of the shell 74; the stop 91 being supported by a suitable bracket or support rod 92 from the upper innermost surface of the shell 74. Also, the outer end of the shell 74 is shown in FIG. 12 as being supported by a plurality of equally angularly spaced apart support bars or rods 93 which extend between the scupper valve shells 74 and the large diameter or base of the frustoconical sleeve 71.

The compressed air that runs the motor 88 is indicated in FIG. 12 as being supplied from a compressed air source 94 to a four-way valve 95, with the compressed air being delivered through the four-way valve 95 to pass by way of delivery tube 96 to the air motor 88. The compressed air delivered to the air motor 88 through the flexible tube 96 causes it to turn in direction to drive the speed reducer 87. The speed reducer 87 in turn rotates the wormshaft 79 therewith so that the wormshaft 79 rotates through the threaded bushing 78 in direction to move the wormshaft to the right, from the position shown in FIG. 12, whereby the air motor 88 slides to the right along the rod to a stopped or limit switch position against the stop 91, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 12. As the wormshaft 79 is driven in direction to open the scupper valve 19, exhaust air is vented by way of flexible tube 97 and out through the four-way valve 95.

Conversely, if the stem of the four-way valve is rotated 90, the compressed air will be supplied through the conduit 94 to deliver through the flexible tube 97 to enter the air motor 88 from the opposite side to drive it in direction to dispose of motor 88 in stopped position to the left as the valve plate 83 is carried by the wormshaft 79 to bear firmly in valve closed position, with the plate 83 compressing the resilient seal member 76.

As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 12, the four way valve 95 may be shifted by the remote control operation of a solenoid 98, the solenoid having a double acting armature or armature shaft 90. When a remote control force, as a radio, emits selective radio waves 100 at a predetermined frequency or signal, circuit is closed to deliver power across the two conductors 101 which within the solenoid housing 98 form a coil surrounding the armature or armature shaft 99 to move it in direction to move the four-way valve 95, as to the position shown in FIG. 12. In such position the handle 102, which is connected to rotate the stem of the four-way valve 95, is uppermost, outermost or upper position as a slot in such handle slides with relation to a pin extending transversely from the armature or armature shaft 99 and through the slot aforesaid.

To close the scupper valve 19, radio at another frequency is indicated as being broadcast by the energy waves 103, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 12, thus to close circuit to the conductors 104 to connect such conductors with a source of electric power thus to energize the coil which the conductors 104 join in forming around the lower end of the armature or armature shaft 99 within the solenoid housing 98. As thus energized the lower solenoid coil urges the armature shaft 99 downwardly, thus to swing the valve handle 102 downwardly 90, thereby placing the compressed air conduit 94 in communication with the valve closing delivery tube 97 to drive the air motor 88 and to close the scupper valve 19, as aforesaid, while the exhaust air conduit 96 vents through the four-way valve 95 to the atmosphere. Noticeably in each scupper valve, the flexible tubes 98,97 extend through seals 105,106 through the respective sleeve 71 and valve shell 74.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-8, inclusive, a bow tank or reservoir 107 and a stern tank or reservoir 108 are indicated as being connected by brackets or straps 114 to sleeves 115 which are slidably mounted on transversely extending transfer cylinders 116 supported above the respective decks 15c, 15d by support brackets 117. The aforesaid reservoirs 107, 108 have previously been filled with compressed air to a substantial maximum pressure by connecting a compressor 119 to the outer end of a filling valve 120 included by the filling inlet 121 into each tank or reservoir 107, 108; the compressor 119 having been supported upon a stand 118, as indicated in FIG. 4. When filled the tanks 107, 108 can still serve as ballast tanks when they become needed for this purpose, since air, even after substantial compressing, still has such a low specific gravity or density that the weight of the ballast tanks 107, 108 is not appreciably increased, even at the highest compression. On the other hand, such a reserve of compressed air can be provided that the compressed air motors for flood and scupper valves 26, 19 can be actuated through many operations.

The reservoirs 107, 108 also supply compressed air for actuating their relative transverse positions across the bow or stern, thus to regulate the barge tilting and capsizing moment. This is accomplished by admitting air via a valve 109 to the outer end of a double acting piston-cylinder unit 110 with outer end piv otally mounted on a bracket 122 which upstands from the deck 15c, while the piston rod outer end 123 is connected to a bracket 124 which extends from the beveled side 125 of the tank 107, 108, in manner to present a longitudinally extending connection plate to receive the aforesaid piston rod outer end 123. The compressed air thus admitted to the outer end of the cylinder 110 urges the piston therein, not shown, for inboard motion as a check valve 1 1 1 on the inboard end of the cylinder 1 vents to the atmosphere.

To restore the ballast tank 107, 108 to outer position, the valve 109 is closed and the valve 112 is opened to let compressed air from the ballast tank into the inboard end of the cylinder to urge the piston outwardly as the compressed air within the cylinder 110 vents through the check valve 113 to the atmosphere.

All of the flood and scupper valves 26, 19 may be actuated from a single ballast tank 107 or 108 until the respective tank is exhausted, or preferably, as indicated at least in part diagrammatically in FIG. 1, the two forward and one upper forward scupper valves 19, and the forward flood valve 26, may be actuated by compressed air from the forward ballast tank and reservoir I07. correspondingly, as indicated in FIG. 1, the two after and one upper rear scupper valve 19, and the after flood valve 26, may be actuated by compressed air from the stern ballast tank and reservoir 108.

, The arrangement on the portside of the respective forward and after decks c, 15d is substantially identical in that the compressed air passes from a respective ballast tank 107, 108, through a flexible conduit 126, having therein a valve, not shown, to a rigid conduit 127- extending directly outboard or transversely of the barge axis, which in turn terminates in a compressed .air header 128. From the header 128 extend the compressed air conduits corresponding with the flood valve conduit 62, FIG. 11, and the scupper valve conduit 94, FIG. 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the four-way valves 61, 95, to which the respective conduits 62, 94extend, have their stem handles gang-connected for actuation by an armature or armature shaft corresponding with the armature or armature shaft 64, 99 in FIGS. 11 and 12, respectively, as actuated by coils in a double acting solenoid corresponding with the solenoids 65, 98 in FIGS. 11 and 12, and designated by reference numeral 129 in FIG. 1.

Also, correspondingly as shown in FIG. 11, the air motor 59, is also shown in FIG. 1, with conduits therefrom corresponding with the conduits 60a, 60b in FIG. 11, and in FIG. 1 the air motor 59 is indicated in proper relative position to i receive compressed air as directed from its four-way valve 61,

as designated in FIG. 11, to drive the handwheel 52, respectively, in flood valve opening and flood valve closing position. Also, as indicated in FIGS. 11 and 12, an energy signal, as radio waves, is indicated in FIG. I as actuating means to connect a power circuit with a circuit corresponding with circuits 66, 101 in FIGS. 11 and 12, respectively, thereby energizing coil means to move the armature or armature shaft of the solenoid 129 to valve opening position. Also, and conversely, an energy signal, as radio waves, corresponding with the radio waves 69, 103 indicated in dotted lines in FlGS. 11 and 12, respectively, is indicated in FIG. 1 as actuating means to connect a power circuit with a circuit corresponding with circuits 68, 104 in FIGS. 11, 12, to move the armature or armature shaft of the solenoid 129 to valve closing position.

Since it is not desirable to have any loose, or unattached items or parts when the barge 10 capsizes, a housing 130 is indicated in dotted lines, FIGS. 1-4, inclusive. Such housing 130 is indicated as completely covering the gang-connected valve stem handles, the valve block of four-way valves, the header 128, the handwheel 52 and its drive from the air motor 59, also the double-acting solenoid 129.

The straps 114 and sleeves 115 which connect the tanks or reservoirs 107, 108 to the transfer cylinders 116 are shown in large scale detail in FIG. 5 with the strap 114 comprising essentially an angle construction with legs 114a, 1l4b respectively connected to sidewall and bottom of tank or reservoir 107, 108, and with the sleeve 115 being of channel construction, with a gusset 114C connecting channel web 115a and upright angle leg 114a.

The channel leg or flange ll5b adjacent the tank or reservoir 107, 108 is connected to the lower leg 114b of the angle or strap 114, by means ofa gusset 114d. An upper and lower roller 131a, 131b are shown as mounted across the channel flanges 115b, 1150 above and below the transfer cylinder 116. This construction permits a tank or reservoir 107, 108 to be adjusted to a position farthest to starboard when the piston rod 123 urges the piston, not shown, within the cylinder I10, farthest to the right, or to centered position. Also, adjustment can carry the tanks or reservoirs 107, 108, farthest to left, or port, when the piston rod 123 moves full travel to the left whereby the port sleeves or roller assemblies 115 come to some predetermined stop as proximate the housing 130.

A modified tank or reservoir 10812 is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 as installed upon the after deck 15d, and of construction designed to deflect roller waves which otherwise could roll over the vessel from bow to stem, or from stem to bow. Although a corresponding bow tank or reservoir is not shown, it would be correspondingly sized and dimensioned and of equal capacity, but for the opposite hand. The tank or reservoir 1080 includes a flat top 131 of pentagonal shape, with a vertical forward wall a beveled to port to facilitate the passage of hold loads forwardly from the starboard side to be dumped into the after part of the hold. Also, the tank 108a has a vertical, transverse wall 132 which extends to port from the beveled wall 125a. Also, a vertically extending port sidewall 133 is provided to extend to the rear from the transverse wall 132. The after part of the tank 108a is formed by two foursided plates 134, 135, each having a lower side 134a, 135a, transverse to the barge axis, an upright side 134b, 135b, an upper side 134e, 1350, extending rearwardly and inward to join at a peak, and a common stern breaker side 136 extending from peak straight forwardly and downwardly to the junction of the lower sides 134a, 135a. The bottom of the tank 108a thus appears as a four-sided figure 137 as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 13.

As thus constructed, should the barge 10 be progressing with the stern into the wind, large waves or rollers could roll upon the after deck d to break at the stern breaker line or divider 136 and to be deflected by the respective port and starboard sideplates 134, 135 to roll off the after deck 15d to port and starboard, and without rolling over the stern ballast and into the hold.

Correspondingly, with an opposite hand tank or reservoir mounted upon the bow, should the barge be progressing with bow into the wind, large waves or rollers may roll upon the forward deck 15c'to break at the prow line or divider, corresponding with the divider 136 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, to be deflected by respectiveport and starboard sideplates, corresponding with the respective port and starboard sideplates 134, 135, shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, to roll off the forward deck 15c to port and starboard, and without rolling over the bow ballast and into the hold.

As indicated in FIGS. 13 and 14, and correspondingly for the bow structure immediately hereinabove described, the ballast tank and reservoir 131 has sleeves 115a, of channel, or parallel flange construction, mounted on the underside or beneath the bottom plate 137 thereof, corresponding in construction and roller mounting, with the sleeve 115 disclosed in FIG. 5, two such sleeves 115a being provided for each transfer cylinder or pipe 116. The transfer cylinders 116 are supported at the ends thereof, and above the deck 15d in FIG. 13, by diagrammatically indicated support brackets 117.

A pneumatic cylinder piston unit 110 adjusts the ballast tank and reservoir 131 laterally across the deck 15d, thus to increase tilting andcapsizing moment by ballast tank movement to port, or to decrease tilting and capsizing moment by ballast tank movement to starboard. Correspondingly as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the cylinder 110 has its outer end pivotally mounted on a bracket 122 which upstands from the deck 15d in FIG. 13. The piston rod 123 of such unit 110 has its outer (inboard) end connected to a bracket 124 extending from the beveled sideplate 1250. Thus compressed air from the tank 108a maybe admitted through the valve 109 to bear against the piston, now shown, within the cylinder 110, to move the tank 108a transversely to port while the inboard end of the cylinder 110 vents through the check valve 111. Conversely, compressed air from the tank 108a may be admitted through the valve 1 12 into the inner end of the cylinder 110 to urge outwardly against the piston, not shown, within the cylinder, to transfer the ballast tank and reservoir 108a outwardly to an outermost (starboard) position, as the cylinder 1 10 vents through the check valve '1 13.

Considering now FIGS. 1-3, inclusive, in connection with FIG. 6, the port bulkhead 17a is indicated as having an adjustment panel 138 in coplanar extension thereof. An enclosing panel 139 may be provided to extend upwardly and inwardly from above the side deck 15a, and also a base 141 may be provided to seat upon the deck 15a. Thus there is provided an auxiliary adjustment and ballast tank 140 which is of triangular cross section as best indicated in FIG. 3. Also, the ends of the adjustment tank 140 are closed, as indicated in FIG. 2.

The enclosed panel 140 may be employed simply for ballast and to extend the port bulkhead17a thus to provide for the hold contents standing higher on the portside until the barge 10 begins to tilt or tip to port, thus creating a greater tilting moment to move the barge 10 with quicker tilt list to begin spillage. Also, the triangularly cross-sectioned panel 140 may be filled with a substance of weight, as water, to supply assured extra tilting moment or the panel 140 may be filled with compressed air as indicated in FIGS. 1-3, inclusive. The panel or panel assembly 140 can thus be switched from functioning as a ballast member to a tilting weight and back to a ballast ."member, as by providing for automatic evacuation of water the port deck 15a may serve as tlie base, since this usage does not contemplate pivoting the panel assembly, but rather, the

adjustment plate 146 is swung, as indicated in FIG. 17, to regulate the height to which slush materials stand prior to the barge 10 tilting over and then capsizing. Such slush elevation adjustment plate 146 is connected to an upper hinge plate 147 of a hinge 150, while the lower hinge plate 148 is connected to the top of the port bulkhead 17a defining the hold 16. To prevent leakage and loss of slush materials, a resilient seal or rubber strap 149 is connected to the inboard or outer surfaces of the hinge plates 147, 148, thereby protecting the hinge 150 from slush contact.

The usage of the panel is for ballast and/or compressed air storage, with the panel 140 shown divided into six compartments 140a, 140b, 140e, 140d, 1402 and 140f. Thus independent compartments may be selectively filled with compressed air by turning a control valve 142 from the tank 108, so that the compressed air can pass through a flexible discharge 143 to a header 144 from which extend supply pipes with a valve 145 in each thereof to control delivery to the compartments selectively. This feature is especially obvious if FIGS. 1-3, inclusive, are considered in connection with FIG. 6. As indicated in FIG. 3, the panel 140 has a bottom 141 as well as the two sides 138 and 139 and the elevation of the apex line of the panel 140 may be changed by elevating it, as by pivoting it upwardly and inwardly, as by convenient props, or about a pivot, not shown, at the junction of the inner or panel plate 138 and the baseplate 141.

If FIGS. 15-17 are considered it may be seen that the bulkheads 17c and 17d are indicated as being extended to provide extension plates 17, thereby to prevent the slush and/or materials moved from running off onto the forward and after top decks 15c, 15d. Also, this feature should be provided in any case where a panel 140, or a panel 140x with slush elevation adjustment plate 146 may be employed as an upward extension of port bulkhead 17a.

At each end of the barge 10, in the respective rake compartments 22c, 22d, a lower partition wall 153, 154 is provided with a limber hole 155 through each partition wall at the lowermost point thereof to facilitate draining water from the lower or inner decks 18c, 18d. Also, vents 156a, 15612 are provided on the starboard side in the forward deck 15c and in the after deck 15d to permit the escape of air, when the barge has been capsized and water is flowing into the flood space and causing the flood side of the barge to sink.

In the operation of the barge, the flood valves 26 and the scupper valves 19 are opened when the barge 10 has been towed to a location where it is to be dumped, and the water runs into the barge on top of the decks 18a, 18c, 18d and to port of the partition walls 153, 154. These partition walls 153, 154 temporarily check the spread of the water over the inner deck to the opposite side of the barge, and in this manner the barge is unbalanced and caused to list and capsize. As the barge begins to list as a result of flooding one side thereof, the load in the load space 16 shifts toward the wall 17b and slides onto the panel 138, thereby causing the barge to completely turn over and effecting the discharge of the load therefrom.

When the barge turns over, the water continues to run in through the flood valves 26, causing the barge to sink to approximately one-third of its width, whereupon the air or float tanks 107, 108 swing the barge toward normal or upright position, as assisted by the bottom space 20 under the decks 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d and 18. Thus the entire structure rights itself and after moving back to upright position, the float chamber 20 causes the empty barge 10 to rise in the water.

The barge rises in the water and returns to upright position but at first the hold or load space 16 is filled with water. However as the barge 10 continues to rise the water first flows out through the upper scupper valves 19, and then, when the barge has risen to a sufficient elevation, the water will then flow out through the lower scupper valves 19. As best visualized in FIG. 2, and in FIG. 12, the water line, designated by reference numeral 160, is below any inlet into the lower scupper valves, or otherwise at least the water line is below the scupper valve shells or housings 71. To insure full drainage the inner deck 18 may be slightly cambered in direction of the ports 72 into the scupper valves 19, (FlGQ'lZ). As the barge drains in returning to normal position afloat, the water that finds its way into the port side portions of the rake compartments 22c, 22d, makes its way back through the limber holes 155 to the lower scupper valves 19 for complete drainage.

Obviously, the invention may be practiced with many variations, adaptations and embodiments. For instance a timer means may be installed to actuated the connection of the solenoid windings to sources of electrical power, or, in simpler installations, the wheel 52, shown also to be a gear, may be the instrument initiating valve opening, as an operator manually grasps the handle 156 to turn the flood valve 26. Or, the fourway valves that let drive air to the scupper valves 19 may be manually operated, Also, the slush elevation adjustment plate may be adjusted in annular position not only by props, spacer bars, and the like, but such may be geared for mechanical adjustment, or for electromechanical adjustment by remote control. Also, the panel unit 140 or 140x may be used selectively adjustably at different times for different purposes, as for ballast (compressed air in compartments), or to increase tilting and/or capsizing moment (water in compartments). Also, a fine adjustment can be obtained by filling some compartments with compressed air and some with water. In fact, the invention is not limited by any specific combinations of structure, timing and means of actuation as long as the same may fall within the broad spiritof the invention, and within the broad scope of interpretation claimed for, and merited by, the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a floated vessel, with load well provided with port and space to be flooded outwardly thereof, a flood valve comprising a perforated shell extending outwardly from said port, a valve plate within said shell and seated around said port when it is closed, a retractable and advanceable means connected to said valve plate and extending axially outwardly therefrom, a transmission connected to drive said valve plate connected means whereby selectively to seat and unseat said valve plate, and an accessible air motor vessel supported above said shell and said space to drive said transmission.

2. In combination with a floated vessel, with load well port and airspace extending outwardly thereof to strake, a scupper valve including a frustoconical shield with smaller diameter end surrounding said well port and with larger diameter end surrounding a drain opening through a strake, a perforate valve cylinder within said shield and coaxially aligned therewith, a valve plate closing inner end communication of shield and cylinder with said well port, axially disposed means connected to said valve plate, and advanceable and retractible, respectively, to seat and unseat said valve plate, air motor means within said cylinder to advance and retract said valve plate connected means, and a reservoir on the vessel deck to support drive air to said air motor, upon opening water from the well draining through said perforations and outwardly through the larger diameter strake opening.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2, which includes additional scupper valves located at a spaced distance above the bottom of the well, and scupper valves located with bottom of well port at well bottom level. 

1. In combination with a floated vessel, with load well provided with port and space to be flooded outwardly thereof, a flood valve comprising a perforated shell extending outwardly from said port, a valve plate within said shell and seated around said port when it is closed, a retractable and advanceable means connected to said valve plate and extending axially outwardly therefrom, a transmission connected to drive said valve plate connected means whereby selectively to seat and unseat said valve plate, and an accessible air motor vessel supported above said shell and said space to drive said transmission.
 2. In combination with a floated vessel, with load well port and airspace extending outwardly thereof to strake, a scupper valve including a frustoconical shield with smaller diameter end surrounding said well port and with larger diameter end surrounding a drain opening through a strake, a perforate valve cylinder within said shield and coaxially aligned therewith, a valve plate closing inner end communication of shield and cylinder with said well port, axially disposed means connected to said valve plate, and advanceable and retractible, respectively, to seat and unseat said valve plate, air motor means within said cylinder to advance and retract said vaLve plate connected means, and a reservoir on the vessel deck to support drive air to said air motor, upon opening water from the well draining through said perforations and outwardly through the larger diameter strake opening.
 3. The combination as claimed in claim 2, which includes additional scupper valves located at a spaced distance above the bottom of the well, and scupper valves located with bottom of well port at well bottom level. 